In addition to my many other hats, I’m an inventor. For a bit of year-end diversion, here are three inventions from this year:

1. Magnetic paper money. Place a weak magnetic strip along the narrow edge of a note of currency. This not only allows the money to stick together—instant money clip!—but also lets you stick it on your refrigerator door. In fact, my two US$1 bill prototypes are stuck on my refrigerator door right now.

Amazingly, this seems to not be the subject of any current US patent.

2. Holographic turn signals . Project cars’ turn signals holographically 10 ft. up above the car, so that following cars can see it even if there is another car in-between.

2005 was also the year in which my invention for “microlinking” images on a web page with text was awarded a US patent (see image), within the context of presenting game commentary and educational materials for strategy games such as chess or Go.

One Response to “Inventions of the year”

the holographic turn signals would have to be psychic holographic turn signals in California, since people here do not often use them. I usuall have to watch people’s body language or car language to tell if they are going to turn. Slowing down or leaning or moving their hands on the steering wheel in preparation for a turn are all possible indicators that a turn might be imminent.